Alcohol’s Effects on Gene Expression

Altering the expression of specific genes in the brain is one of the mechanisms through which the organism may adapt to chronic alcohol exposure. Several molecular biology methods allow researchers to isolate alcohol-regulated genes from cultured cells or laboratory animals. These techniques have led to the identification of numerous genes whose expression is increased or decreased in cells that have been exposed to alcohol. The protein products of these genes serve a wide variety of functions in normal cells, such as the processing of protein molecules or signal transmission within cells. Preliminary studies are providing insights into the mechanisms through which alcohol may alter the expression of these genes.